Archive for February, 2017

“I am a Registered Dietitian born and raised in the Detroit area. Eating healthy wasn’t a priority in my household growing up, but became important to me entering adulthood. I became an RD since I related to the common struggles and wanted to help people like my own family. In 2012 I received my BS in Dietetics from Michigan State University. Then, completed my Dietetic Internship at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and passed the RD exam”.

“Currently I work for Heart Hospice, serving hospice patients in Wayne and surrounding counties. Hospice is for patients with an estimated life expectancy of six months or less. It doesn’t aim to reverse or cure a chronic illness, but instead relieve symptoms and increase patients’ quality of life”.

Why does a hospice patient need a dietitian?

“Loss of appetite, difficulty chewing/swallowing, and weight loss are expected near the end of life. I explain these nutritional changes to caregivers and make suggestions to maximize food an fluid intake as feasible. I monitor patients admitted on tube feedings. I work with assisted living and skilled nursing facilities to provide diets that adhere to standards for mechanically altered and pureed foods. Above all, I lend a compassionate ear to support patients and their loved ones during difficult times”.

“As for future goals, I want to go to graduate school to get a Master’s in Public Health or Health Psychology. Doing research to further our collective knowledge of health/nutrition sounds like a dream career to me. I am particularly interested in the relationship between mental disorders and health behaviors (diet, physical activity, substance abuse)”.

What led you to the Cooking Matters Program?

“During my Dietetic Internship I was assigned to shadow a Cooking Matters class and tour Gleaners. The particular class I shadowed was the grocery store tour. I was so impressed with how much the participants had learned the weeks prior, and the camaraderie between the participants and instructors. After I was hired as a part-time hospice dietitian, I remembered Cooking Matters and signed up as a volunteer nutrition instructor right away. It helps keep my skills sharp that aren’t applicable to a hospice population, all while giving back to the community in my free time”.

What is your favorite thing about being part of the Cooking Matters team?

“Contributing to a program that helps people in a practical way. I personally learn best when I’m doing something hands-on, so I really believe in that aspect of the class. At the end of the six-week class, the participants have knowledge they won’t forget anytime soon. I learn something every class I help teach, from the other instructors and the participants themselves”.

Do you have a favorite moment from a Cooking Matters class you would like to share?

“Generally speaking, seeing the excitement of the kids in the CM for kids classes I’ve volunteered for. When you arrive at the school each week to set up, kids from the class will see you in the hallway and wave. They cheer ‘yay!! We have Cooking Matters today!’ Children may not have the best attention spans, but with their enthusiasm you can tell you’ve made a positive influence on their lives”.

What ingredients will we always find in your kitchen?

“Onions! I love adding them to many recipes and to me, they make the simplest dishes 100% better. It helps they’re inexpensive and stay fresh for a long time. My freezer is stocked with frozen veggies so I can make healthy meals quickly when I don’t have fresh produce on hand”.

What do you do in your spare time?

“I absolutely love to paint. My grandma painted countless beautiful watercolor and oil paintings in her lifetime. I’ve taken up painting (watercolors for now), partly in remembrance of her, combined with the positive mental health benefits of a creative hobby. I’m still a novice, but it’s exciting to see all I have left to learn and the potential to make better art”.

“I am a big bookworm too, and I tend to read a lot of non-fiction. Many of my favorite authors (and painters) are French, so I am in the process of learning the language on my own. I hope one day when I’m fluent (and can afford it) to visit France and experience the culture and cuisine firsthand”.

Do you have a recipe you would like to share?

“Honestly, most of my favorite go-to recipes are Cooking Matters ones! Some dietitians are culinary geniuses, but not me personally. I love that the CM curriculum talks about ‘recipe frameworks,’ because that’s what I tend to do myself”.

Fawezeyeh volunteers as an Arabic Interpreter for the Cooking Matters program. She recently shared her skills with a class at ACCESS in Sterling Heights.

Fawezeyeh moved to the United States in 1979 where she met her husband, married, and had four children. When her son was very young, he spent many months in the hospital. At the time, Fawezeyeh was still learning English. In order to communicate with her son’s medical team, Fawezeyeh taught herself English during her son’s time in the hospital.

Fawezeyeh has always enjoyed preparing healthy, affordable meals from scratch. After her son was diagnosed with liver disease as a baby, Fawezeyeh learned to adapt her cooking to be even friendlier to her son’s medical needs. She still cooks in a way that supports his medical condition. Recently, Fawezeyeh began adapting her recipes to be gluten and lactose free; adapting and experimenting until they meet her extremely high standards for both taste and health.

After her children were grown, Fawezeyeh turned her love of caring for children into a business. Fawezeyeh ran her own day care for 18 years. She has since retired, but is very proud of the character and accomplishments of the children who spent their first years in her care.

What led you to the Cooking Matters Program?

Fawezeyeh has always enjoyed cooking and baking very healthy meals from scratch. She was very pleased to find the Cooking Matters Program, as it is very in keeping with her own beliefs that healthy cooking and lifestyle are achievable on a budget. Fawezeyeh also loves to work with people.

When a friend of Fawezeyeh’s learned the Cooking Matters program needed an Arabic Interpreter, she thought of Fawezeyeh, and reached out to make the introduction.

What is your favorite thing about being part of the Cooking Matters team?

Fawezeyeh enjoys helping others! She says she has had a lot of help from others, and enjoys giving her help to others, in kind.

Fawezeyeh enjoys helping others learn to cook and eat healthier, on a budget. She enjoys sharing her knowledge, and also enjoys learning even more about healthy cooking, herself.

Do you have a favorite moment from a Cooking Matters class you would like to share?

Fawezeyeh enjoys Participants very much! She likes to see the interest in Participants’ faces, and likes to help them. She especially enjoys that the Participants in her class at ACCESS did not want the class to end. Fawezeyeh also enjoys the Grocery Store Tour.

What ingredients will we always find in your kitchen?

Fawezeyeh always keeps lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber in her kitchen, as she loves to make and serve salads. She also has homemade hummus in her kitchen at all times.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Fawezeyeh enjoys time with her family and friends, especially her grandchildren. She also loves to cook, bake, and share with others.

Fawezeyeh also loves to volunteer. She shares this interest with her children, especially her son, who speaks regularly on behalf of organ donation.

USDA Statement

This material was partially funded by the State of Michigan with federal funds from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by way of the Michigan Nutrition Network at the Michigan Fitness Foundation. This work is supported in part by the Michigan Department of Human Services, under contract number ADMIN-10-99011. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Michigan Fitness Foundation or the Michigan Department of Human Services. In accordance with Federal law and USDA policy, these institutions are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720- 6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides nutrition assistance to people with low income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more contact the toll free Michigan Food Assistance Program Hotline at (855) ASK-MICH.
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Credit Statement
This material was partially funded by the State of Michigan with federal funds from the United States Department of Agriculture Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by way of the Michigan Nutrition Network at the Michigan Fitness Foundation. These institutions are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs or disability. People who need help buying nutritious food for a better diet call the toll free Michigan Food Assistance Program Hotline: (855) ASK-MICH.